The present invention relates generally to network interfaces for wireless communication devices and particularly to a network interface that allows Short Message Service (SMS) messages to carry Internet Protocol (IP) packets.
Typically, wireless communication devices include a network interface that interfaces the wireless communication device to one or more communication networks such as circuit-switched and packet-switched networks. Most network interfaces have a layered protocol structure with each layer performing a specific function. The “higher” layers such as an application layer include an application that permits a user to interact with the wireless communication device and communicate with one or more remote parties. The “lower” layers such as the link layer include the functionality that allows the wireless communications device to communicate wireless signals over a network interface. One or more intermediate layers between the application and link layers function to maintain communications sessions and route data.
An example of an intermediate layer is an Internet Protocol (IP) layer. The IP layer is a network layer protocol that uses IP addresses to route data packets. Usually, the wireless communication device obtains an IP address upon connection to a packet-switched network. The IP layer receives data packets from the application layer via a transport layer (e.g., TCP or UDP), and forwards the data packets with appropriate headers to a network interface such as an air interface for transmission to the network. In the opposite direction, the IP layer receives the data packets from the network via the network interface and one or more intervening layers, and sends the data packets to the application layer via the transport layer.
Currently, some protocols operating on the wireless communication device such as SMS do not communicate data through the IP layer. However, a network interface that interfaces the IP layer and the SMS protocol stack could be useful in a variety of scenarios.